Not many athletes can say they went stride for stride with an Olympic medalist, but Eddie Nketia can. Back in March, at the USC Trojans Invitational, the 23-year-old New Zealander lined up next to American sprinting titan Fred Kerley in the 100m dash. From the gun, it was a showdown. With Kerley in lane five and Nketia right beside him in lane six, the two exploded out of the blocks in near-perfect sync. As they surged toward the finish, the commentary became even more electric: “Nketia running with Kerley!” And they weren’t exaggerating. The final margin? A razor-thin 0.03 seconds. Kerley won, but Nketia didn’t just challenge him. He turned heads.

But this wasn’t just a one-off sprint. What makes Nketia’s story remarkable is that he’s been juggling another passion: football. While most athletes dedicate themselves to mastering just one sport, Nketia is rewriting the narrative. As he balances football commitments with his rising track career, his recent performance shows he’s not just dabbling. He’s delivering. The clash with Kerley wasn’t just a race; it was a statement.

A dual-sport athlete who refuses to choose between speed on the pitch and speed on the track has made his mark with another dominating Big Ten win. USC Track & Field took to Instagram recently to celebrate yet another milestone for Eddie Nketia, highlighting his silver-medal finish in the Big Ten 100m final with a time of 10.18 (-0.6). Right behind him, junior Max Thomas claimed fourth in 10.33, showcasing USC’s sprinting depth.

But Eddie’s performance stood out. Not just for the placement or the time, but for what it represented. A sprinter known for brushing shoulders with Olympic greats is now finding his stride at the collegiate level while still carrying the weight of a dual-sport identity and the legacy of his sprinting lineage. Representing both Australia and New Zealand on the international stage, he was already a seasoned sprinter, but confidence didn’t always come easily.

After a disappointing 10.41 run at a meet ahead of the Oceania Championships, self-doubt crept in. “I was scared to race and embarrassed,” Eddie admitted. “I thought I was not progressing; maybe I should end my season early.” The voice that kept him grounded was that of his father and coach, Gus Nketia. The very man whose national record of 10.11 had stood since 1994. Gus urged him not to quit. Instead, he encouraged his son to see the setbacks as fuel, not failure.

At the World Athletics Championships, Eddie stormed through his heat, toeing the line next to Kenya’s sprint powerhouse, Ferdinand Omanyala. He blazed through the finish in 10.08, breaking his father’s 28-year-old national record by 0.03 seconds. For New Zealand sprinting, it was a landmark moment. And in 2025, he’s proving that performance was no fluke. Whether it’s the football field or the track, Eddie Nketia is showing he’s not just balancing two worlds. He’s thriving in both.

Eddie Nketia’s unconventional path to Track glory

When Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley lined up at the USC Trojan Invitational, few expected him to be pressed by a collegiate sprinter, but Eddie Nketia had other plans. In a race decided by mere hundredths of a second, Eddie clocked 10.26 to Kerley’s 10.23, sending a message loud and clear: he’s not here to play it safe. And for the 23-year-old, choosing USC was never just about joining a prestigious program. It was about chasing something bigger.

“The USC heritage with how many Olympians have competed here. I also would love to follow in these footsteps as well and become a USC Olympian, as well as the strong networking and strong coaching support that is here,” he shared. Coming from someone who’s already etched his name in New Zealand’s sprinting history, that ambition carries serious weight. What makes Eddie’s rise even more fascinating is how recent and raw his football journey truly is.

He didn’t pick up the sport until age 22, with his eyes initially locked on a bold new goal: the NFL. Fate, however, redirected him to USC. A place where his rare blend of size and speed is being honed with care. Nketia has played both running back and wide receiver during his time in Hawaii, though he never quite broke into the rotation. Still, his track record speaks for itself.

Born in Australia and raised in New Zealand, Eddie holds dual citizenship and has represented both countries on the international stage. He graduated from Scots College in Wellington and originally attended the University of Hawaii before transferring to USC. He was even in the conversation to represent New Zealand at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but ultimately wasn’t selected.

Alongside the 100m, he competes in the 200m, and despite the Olympic disappointment, his commitment to sprinting has never wavered. With multiple years of eligibility remaining, Eddie’s story is far from over. He’s still chasing gridiron greatness while blazing a trail on the track.